Ottawa Citizen on Humaira Habib of Radio Sahar

How media bolster still-fragile freedoms: Ousting the Taliban was just the beginning

Don Butler
The Ottawa Citizen

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Four years ago, Humaira Habib didn’t even know what a radio studio was. Today, she manages Afghanistan’s only women’s community radio station, Radio Sahar, reaching a potential audience of 700,000 in the city of Herat.

Along the way she’s had to overcome stiff resistance from authorities in Herat province, and even threats of imprisonment. She’s also witnessed the murder of female colleagues who dared become journalists.

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, progress has been steady if slow. “Now we are really happy,” she said yesterday during a panel discussion on the media and democratic development sponsored by the International Development Research Centre.

“We can broadcast and produce any kinds of programs on our radio station.”

In a country in which most people are illiterate and access to electricity is far from universal, radio is the most accessible and popular mass medium.

Radio Sahar opened in 2003. At first, it was hard to find women willing to speak on the radio. “Now it’s easy, because they really like to talk about different issues,” said Ms. Habib, who became station manager in 2005.

Initially, the non-profit station broadcast just two hours a day. It now broadcasts 13 hours daily and produces more than 40 weekly programs. Of the 15 staff members, 11 are women, including all the top staff.

Radio Sahar remains an anomaly in Afghanistan, whose media are otherwise dominated by men. The station, says Ms. Habib, “is a symbol to all women that they can do things they weren’t allowed to do before.”

Another panelist, Mathatha Tsedu, editor of South Africa’s Daily Press, said press freedom has improved since the fall of apartheid, but not as much as outsiders might think.

Many laws restricting the free flow of information from the apartheid era have been retained, he said, even though they conflict with constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression.

As well, some of those who fought apartheid and who are now in government “became easily irritated when media criticized their work, insinuating that because they fought for freedom they should thus be trusted to protect it,” Mr. Tsedu said.

“As media professionals, we accept that freedom is never won, but forever defended.”

Mr. Tsedu said South African editors have launched a campaign called “Media Freedom is Your Freedom,” to help the public understand that “media freedom is their freedom to receive credible information that helps them make decisions about their lives.”

Mr. Tsedu said journalists’ mission must be to represent the powerless and the voiceless. If they fail to do so, “we sell out the ideals on which journalism is based.”

That role is especially important in a world of instant information, where the powerful and the wealthy are able to shape people’s perceptions by getting their views out first.

Hasht-e-Sobh: “Reflection of ECO meeting questionable – Herat officials”

Text of report entitled “Reflection of ECO meeting questionable – Herat officials” published by Afghan independent secular daily newspaper Hasht-e Sobh on 27 October

Official sources in Herat Province have criticized the media for not properly covering and reporting the ECO meeting.

A protest letter issued by the cultural and social consultancy of Herat governor, entitled “ECO, independent local media and questionable reflection” says: “The media in the ECO member countries have completely and comprehensively covered this regional meeting. For example, the ECO conference and the reports from the venue of the meeting were the lead news in some media outlets including the Jam-e Jam World Service of Iran. However, the issue that has surprised everybody was the weak reflection of the ECO conference by local media. The presence of five foreign ministers including their deputies from the 10 regional countries and the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at the meeting shows the paramount importance of the [ECO] conference. However, the reflection of this conference by the local private media was very weak. Tolo and Ariana TVs put the ECO reports second and third in their news bulletins. This issue gives rise to a lot of questions which we will let the opinion of Afghan society judge.”

Meanwhile, officials of the government-run local media in Herat say that they intended to cover the ECO meeting live but they were prevented by officials responsible for holding the meeting.

A number of analysts in Herat term the sketchy coverage of the ECO meeting by national and independent media as [a manifestation of] their hatred towards Herat.

They claim that because a meeting of this kind – with the participation of foreign ministers of regional countries – was not held in Afghanistan over the past 30 years, the process of the meeting should have been broadcast live by Afghanistan’s national television but this did not happen. They say that the government treated Herat in a too discriminatory way.

According to analysts, there is a question: Had the meeting of ECO foreign ministers been held in Kabul, would the private media and Afghanistan’s national television have shown such nonchalance?”

[Description of Source: Kabul Hasht-e-Sobh in Dari. OSC SAP20071028950019 Kabul Hasht-e-Sobh in Dari 0000 GMT 27 Oct 07]

Herat TV: Afghan Herat TV recognized as best national channel

Text of report by provincial state-owned Afghan Herat TV on 26 October

A workshop has been held in Kabul to discuss measures to make TV programmes national in the provinces. The workshop was attended by the heads of radio and TV departments from various provinces. The head of the Herat Radio and TV Station, Hassamuddin Shams, also attended the workshop and briefed the participants on achievements of the Herat TV channel.

The workshop also had discussions on the quality of TV programmes in all provinces. The speakers praised the efforts of officials in charge of the Herat Radio and TV and marked this TV channel as the best among other provinces.

It is also important to note that Abdol Sattar Alkozay, reporter at the Herat TV Station, was recognized as the best reporter among reporters in the country.

[Description of Source: Herat Herat Television in Dari -- state-run television. OSC IAP20071027950004 Herat Herat Television in Dari 1630 GMT 26 Oct 07]

Herat Radio Sahar: “South Asia Free Media Association” elects head, secretary in western Afghanistan

October 1, 2007

The South Asia Free Media Association [SAFMA] held an election at the Fakri-Saljuqi Hall of the Herat Public Library today. More than 70 journalists working in western Afghanistan took part in this direct and secret ballot to elect their head [in this region].

Fawad Ahmadi [an Afghan reporter working for Ariana TV] was elected head of the association in western Afghanistan by obtaining 42 votes. In addition, Ashrafoddin Stanakzai, was elected as his secretary by getting 23 votes.

According to the officials, the South Asia Free Media Association is comprised of representatives of a number of Asian countries and their aim is to defend journalists.

Nematollah Sarwari, head of the Herat Information and Culture Department, described membership in this association as a giant step for improving freedom of expression. He also called on the association to expand its activities [in western Afghan provinces].

Furthermore, an election was held by the Journalists’ Association of Western Afghanistan in Herat Province some time back.

Several incidents organized against journalists in western Afghanistan have made them establish different associations to defend their rights.

The Association of Journalists of Herat Council of Professionals, the Herat Association of Journalists and the House of Journalists are the other associations founded in Herat Province over the past few years. These associations say their main objective is to support journalists.

[Description of Source: Herat Radio Sahar in Dari -- local independent radio station in Herat run mainly by women.  OSC IAP20071001950153 Herat Radio Sahar in Dari 1230 GMT 01 Oct 07]